The Contradiction
by Hellen says what's up
Summary: AU in which L brings in fifteen year old Wammy kids, Near, Mello, Matt and Linda to help with the Kira case. "You're putting children on the task force?" "If Kira wants a fight, then a fight I shall give." L replied with a rare smile. No ships.
1. Intro

The Contradiction

Summary: AU in which L brings in fifteen year old Wammy kids, Near, Mello, Matt and Linda to help with the Kira case. "You're putting children on the task force?" "If Kira wants a fight, then a fight I shall give." L replied with a rare smile.

**Okay, so this is set around when a second Kira is suspected and L had first asked Light to join the task force. Obviously, in this AU, L has already met Near, Matt, Mello and Linda, but never face to face. I just thought it'd be fun to see L working with the kids of Wammy's house. I had to change the ages a little bit, but I hope it's not too weird.**

**Reviews are welcome :D**

* * *

L sat in his comfortable little chair, biting on his nail as he stared out of the window, overlooking the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets of Japan. _If Light were Kira, then he should already know why I brought him into the Japanese task force…to keep an eye on him whilst he's under suspicion. Keeping him close by will make it easier to determine whether he is Kira or not...but…it's risky. Who knows? If Light IS Kira, he may be able to gain the same powers as the second Kira…which means he'd be able to kill me…and then it'd be all over. To be honest, I would have thought I'd solve the case by now…perhaps I'm just having a bad year._

_If Light Yagami is Kira, then that could put me (and all of the task force members) in a vulnerable position. What if Light wanted to get close to me, so that he could kill me? Well…either way, this is a tough move to make…perhaps it's time I took a few drastic actions…yes…I supposed it couldn't hurt to try._

"Watari," L called to the man across the room. Watari placed his newspaper down on the counter to look over at L, "get Wammy's house on the phone for me…please."

"Wammy's house? What business do you have there? Shouldn't you be directing your focus onto the Kira case?" Watari questioned curiously.

"I have plenty of business there…now listen closely to my instructions. I want you to go to Wammy's house and I want you to bring back four children...well, I say children, but I really mean young adults…I shall have these four as my new accomplices in the Kira investigation." Watari raised his eyebrows as L walked from the chair he sat from, towards the balcony window.

"Ryuzaki…why do you wish to bring these them into the investigation? The thought had never crossed your mind before. Why now?"

L hummed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Have you ever heard that saying, two minds are better than one? These children are some of the greatest young minds this world has ever known. I couldn't possibly pass off an opportunity such as this. Don't worry, they won't come under any danger…and even if they do, we'll be there to protect them."

"Yes…but you do understand, if the children refuse to come to Japan, I will not force them."

"Of course. If the children wish to help me in this case, they must first prove their dedication to catching Kira. Of course, I will put their intelligence to the test once they arrive in Japan, but until then, make sure they are well and fit to fly over as soon as possible."

_This is just what I…what Kira needs_

* * *

"Hey, Ryuzaki, where's Watari? Shouldn't he be here to help us?" Matsuda asked, taking a seat around the table, along with the rest of the Task Force members.

L rubbed his feet together as he spoke, "I'm afraid Watari will not be joining us for at least the next three days. He's gone on a trip to Winchester to locate our new members."

"Wait, we're bringing in more men for the investigation? Why?" Soichiro questioned, wide-eyed. Light looked surprised...but he had figured L might do something like this.

"Yes. With two Kira's on the loose, we can't afford to have any gaps in our system. I'm bringing in four new associates to help bring Kira to justice." L explained. Light had to stop himself from laughing. _Oh, Ryuzaki, do you really think that bringing in four men is going to help you? _"Not only will these men be helping with the investigation, but they will also be training to take fulltime position in the Task force…that is, if they choose to."

"Ryuzaki," Light began, "I don't mean to sound rude, but won't bringing in more people to help with the investigation risk getting caught? The more people we have, the easier it is for Kira to track us."

"No. That's impossible since I am the only one who knows these men's true names. They will not be revealing them to any of you. Just a heads up, they probably aren't going to put as much trust in you as I have. They've never worked with a police investigation unit before, so go easy on them."

Light raised an eyebrow. _These guys sound a little inexperienced…why would Ryuzaki bring someone like that into the Kira investigation? He's up to something…_

* * *

"B-but, Mr Wammy, this is so sudden. You can't expect me to just let you take the-"

"I don't expect you to do anything. If they wish to work with L, they may accompany me back to Japan. If they do not, I will say no more."

_Click, click, click, click. Finished._

Near stared at the blank finished puzzle that lay on the floor, his left knee tucked into his chest whilst he sat on top of his other leg in a rather relaxed position. _Every little piece of the puzzle has its own place on the bored…every clue will soon lead to another…every move I make brings me one step closer to the finished puzzle…how interesting._

Near stared out of the window, watching as the kids played a game of soccer, kicking the ball around the soggy grass-patch. _Strange…everyone seems so happy today. I wonder if something good's heading MY way. I wonder…it might just make my day a little more interesting._

At that moment, Roger knocked on Near's room door with the back of his knuckles. Near turned his head to see the elderly man standing in the doorway, a look of mixed emotions plastered on his face. "Near. There's a man who wishes to speak with you. Please, follow me."

"Who is he?" Near asked.

"…A friend of L's." Near picked up a loose puzzle piece from the finished canvas and shoved it into his pocket.

"Alright, I'll speak with him." Near said, twirling a loose strand of hair with his index finger. "What does he want?" Roger didn't reply. He simply walked out of the room and gestured for Near to follow. He slowly did so.

Once they arrived in Roger's office, the first thing he noticed was the tall stranger in a large brown coat with a hat covering his face. He stood behind Roger's desk, his hands in his pockets. The second things he noticed were Mello, Matt and Linda. The three of them were spread about the room. Mello stood by Roger's desk, a bar of chocolate in his hand. Matt sat on the floor with his back to the wall. He held his DS in his hands as he vigorously tapped away on the small keys. Linda gave Near a little wave and smiled as he entered the room.

That was when the stranger spoke. "My name is Watari, and as you may or may not know, I work under L."

"Why are you here then? Shouldn't you be helping with the Kira investigation? I thought that was your job." Mello sniggered a little cynically.

"Mello!" Roger scowled.

"No, it's fine. The boy has a right to think that way…but as we speak, I am in fact helping L on the Kira investigation." Near studied the man as he twirled his hair. _Why would L send Watari to Wammy's? It's not like Kira has any connection with L's possible successors._

"I'm here because L wants to bring you four into the Kira investigation." That was when Near heard Matt's thumbs stop tapping. "I know it's sudden, but L wants more minds to help with the investigation. He was hoping he'd get the opportunity to work with you four. If you choose to accept this offer, then we'll be leaving for Japan in less than forty-eight hours…if you choose to turn down this offer, then I will leave you be. You will never have to see me again."

"L wants us?" Linda asked with a look of genuine surprise. "But, we're not even trained detectives."

"It makes no difference." Near said. The room went silent. "Detective or not, L has decided that we have the intelligence to work out this case…or at least, accompany him to do so. It has nothing to do with whether we've studied the law or not."

"…If we work with L, does that mean we'll see his face? Isn't that kinda'…stupid?" Matt asked, removing his strange goggles from his eyes and hanging them around his neck.

"L trusts all of you. He knows that you four know the difference between evil and justice. He's willing to risk his life for that." Watari said, bowing his head.

Mello smirked. "Alright, where do I sign?"

"Wait, you're going?" Linda asked.

"Of course I am. I don't know about you, but there's no way in hell I'm turning down an offer like this. We're going to meet the detective that solved some of the greatest crimes this world has ever known. He wants US to work with HIM to catch KIRA. How could you turn that down?"

"Mello's right..." Near spoke slowly. Mello raised an eyebrow, which resulted in him rolling his eyes. Near hummed. "It's rather unlikely that L would ask us to join him unless he was serious about this…I want to catch Kira. I want to find justice for the world. I'm going."

"I guess it could be pretty fun, working with THE REAL L!" Linda exclaimed. "Come on Matt, let's do it! You've got nothing better to do anyway."

Matt chuckled under his breath. "Fine, I'll go, but I'm not going to be much help."

Watari pulled out his phone as the others ran off to pack a bag. "Ryuzaki, this is Watari. They've all accepted your request...yes…of course…I'll be there soon."

To be continued (hopefully soon)


	2. Hello there

_Four days later…_

"Hey, Light, wait up!" Matsuda called, charging through the hotel lobby towards the lifts. Light raised an eyebrow and held the doors open with his left arm. Matsuda ran in as the doors closed behind him. "Thanks," The young man wheezed, completely exhausted from the running. He bent over his knees as he attempted to catch his breath. "I missed the bus and I didn't have any cash on me to call a taxi." He exclaimed.

"Well, at least you're not late. Dad and Aizawa still haven't arrived." Light watched as the lift ascended up to the 25th story. "Ryuzaki called me earlier this morning. He said the new recruits arrived."

"That's a good thing, isn't it? I mean, ever since the second Kira showed up, we haven't really gotten anywhere with the investigation. With more people on our side, it'll be easier for us to catch Kira!" Matsuda chimed enthusiastically.

"Yeah…I guess you could say that." Light mumbled. _Though, if these guys are as smart as Ryuzaki portrays them to be…I don't know. Something doesn't seem right. Why would L randomly decide to bring in new recruits? Is it really just because he fears the second Kira? Is he trying to taunt me?_

The elevator came to a sudden halt and the doors slid open. The two of them proceeded down the hall in silence. They came to a stop when they reached the door number '27Y'. Light gently knocked on the face of the door with the back of his knuckle…when no one answered, he knocked again…and yet, there was still no reply. After the third knock, Matsuda decided to let himself in with the card Ryuzaki had sent him (for emergency purposes only.)

The door swung open with ease. What they saw next was rather shocking to say the least.

A boy with white hair and pale skin sat on the sofa with his back to them. He appeared to be fiddling with the tape the second Kira had sent, holding it out with his right hand whilst he fiddled with a loose strand of hair on the side of his face. He appeared to be whispering to himself.

A tall young man with blonde hair and blue eyes stood beside the white-haired boy, a chocolate bar in his left hand. He wore dark leather gloves and dressed in nothing but black from head to toe. He too was holding a tape between his fingers, only it wasn't from the second Kira.

Meanwhile, a young red/brown haired boy wearing orange-tinted goggles sat at on the floor in front of a computer screen, typing at a rapid speed. He wore a red and black striped shirt and jeans. He stopped typing for a moment to take a sip of what looked like a can of coke, before he resumed.

Matsuda and Light both stared in shock. "Hey, what the-"

At that moment, Ryuzaki entered through the doorway (the hotel suite had two rooms), carrying a piece of cake in one hand and a fork in the other. He was soon followed by Mogi, Watari, and a young girl who looked about the same age as the other strangers. "Evening Light, Matsuda" Ryuzaki said. "Would you mind closing the door please?"

"Ryuzaki, did you let these kids in?" Matsuda asked, pushing the door closed as he did so.

"Of course I did. They're the newest members of the task force. It'd be rude not to." Ryuzaki said simply.

Matsuda and Light just stared in shock. "…Wha-these are the people you were talking about?!"

"Yes. Why do you sound so surprised Matsuda?" L asked.

"They're…children! Ryuzaki, you can't be serious about putting them on the Kira investigation!" Matsuda exclaimed.

"I can't be serious? I've never been more serious, Matsuda." L hummed. "The IQ for an average middle-aged man is 100. Near is on a solid 221 and rising, whilst Mello is on a 214. These men aren't just children. They're geniuses. I know for a fact that none of you are as intellectually advanced as them. Since when did age ever matter when it came to justice?" L kept his cool, though his irritation was visible through his voice. "If Kira wants a fight, then a fight I shall give."

"Believe it or not, L's right on this one." Mogi interrupted. Matsuda and Light turned to him. "Although they don't look like much, according to Ryuzaki they're four of the best and brightest young adults in the world. Near has personally proven himself to be brighter than most full-grown men. He's a sharp thinker and can analyse with a single glance. Mello is also known for his way of speech and sense of initiative. He's been trained to use a gun and how to defend and in some cases, kill combat. Matt was trained in the field of computing at a young age. He can hack through practically any data base, and at age twelve, he singlehandedly managed to break into FBI information unit. Finally, Linda over here has a photographic memory. Aside from her skills with analysing evidence and data, she is known for being rather sociable, which could help us in the future…they may be young, but hell…I want them on this case."

"Mogi…"

Light stood there in silence for a moment. _I can't believe L would do something like this…he must really believe these kids are geniuses…and perhaps they are. _Light laughed a little and the rest of the task force turned their heads to him. "Well, I'll admit, I didn't expect that…but it doesn't change anything. If they're as intelligent as Ryuzaki says, we've got nothing to worry about."

"We already know that Ryuzaki suspects you of being Kira, Light Yagami." Near said, placing the tape back onto the coffee table. "And as his apprentice, I shall be watching you closely…of course, I don't want this to affect our relationship in anyway. If we're going to work together, we need to be able to trust each other." _This Near kid…is he a threat or not? He sure talks like L…trying to gain my trust…should I be worried?_

"Aside from that, Ryuzaki has also kept us updated on the Kira case so far." Mello said, not bothering with formal introduction. "Near and I have concluded that we suspect there may be a second Kira who intends to make contact with the first Kira…so I've done a little brainstorming, and here's what we're gonna do…" The others watched curiously as Mello took a bite from his chocolate bar. "In order to get a response out of the second Kira, Matt and I are going to create a tape, posing as 'Kira'. Hopefully, the second Kira will take the bait and send a reply…and judging by what we've already seen…the second Kira should fall right into our trap."

_So that's what they're doing…trying to get information out of the second Kira by posing as the first…not bad for a bunch of kids…_Light thought.

"I've already got Matt working on the tape. Once we've recorded the message, Matt's going to broadcast it over the afternoon news report. We'll be using Ryuzaki's name to try and gain access to a wider audience…if that's okay with him." L nodded in agreement.

"Could I make just one slight adjustment?" Ryuzaki said. "I would like to have Light play the role of Kira."

Light raised his eyebrows . "Me? Really?"

"Yes. I feel as though you're intelligent enough to pull off the role…you have a way of deduction that allows you to think as Kira would."

_L wants to see how I go about this…well, I guess I have no choice. _"I guess I could do it."

"Good. Near, Mello, Matt, Linda, I'd like to commend you for your work so far. At this rate, we'll bring Kira to justice before the year is out."

* * *

_Near POV_

_First day of the Kira case and I know this much… Kira is in Japan. The second Kira is also in Japan. L suspects Light Yagami to be Kira. According to Matt, the tapes were made by an amateur who obviously had no special knowledge with general technology._

_After talking it over with Mello and Ryuzaki, we've decided to have Mello tail Light for a little while. If Light IS the real Kira, then it's possible that the second Kira may attempt to gain contact with him…if something unusual happens between Light Yagami and someone who could be the second Kira, Mello has promised to alert me as soon as possible._

_Matt will also be tracking Yagami by CCTV cameras and satellite. L seems to have a strong belief that Light is in fact Kira...and, if we're wrong, then it doesn't matter. It only sets us back by a few days…_

_Light Yagami…are you, or are you not Kira?_


End file.
